Automatic refilling apparatus for pressure-tanks.



T. P. & T. B. FORD. AUTOMATIC REFILLING APPARATUS FOR PRESSURE TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 12, 1907. 909,574.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES nvl Elvrofis ATTORNEYS T. P. & T. B. FORD.

AUTOMATIC REFILLING APPARATUS FOR PRESSURE TANKS.

APPLIOATION FILED 0GT.12, 1907.

909,574. Patented Jan. 12, 1909. 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

I If 2 INVENTOHS WITNESSES floinaaflffozzz flamaalil'az'cz UNITED STATES racism OFFICE;

TEOMAS P. FORD AN'D THOMAS B FOR D', OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC REFILLING APPARJ'ATUS -F013, PRES S'IJ IRIE- IAIiPKS:

Thomas B. vE0121), citizens of the-Un1ted States, and residents of thecity of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in thecounty of Kings and. btateof New Xork, have invented a new and improved. Automatic Refilling Apparatus for t'ressure-"lankaof which the following isa full, clear, and exact ClGSOIlPr. tion.

Theinvention relates to sprinkler systems for. buildings, .and -1ts(object is to provide .a new-and improved automatic refilling apparatuslion pressure tanks, arranged to auto-'- matically keep, the overhead water tank supplied W113i water, .andto maintain a -.prede-- ternuned pressure on thewater in the tank-l The invention consists of novel features andparts. and combinations of the same, which will. be more fully described hereinafter andthenpointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention isrepresented in the'accoinpanying drawings-I'orming a part'ofthis specification, in whichnsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding; parts-in both :views.

Figurel is aisidew elevation ofgthe improve ment as applied,.thebuilding being shown in.

4 pressuretank A is supplied with water'from a water pump E, whilean air'pump F furnishes the air pressure for the pressure tank A, both pumps E and-E being preferablylo cated in the basement of the building B, and being provided with suitablespressure governors E and F, to-automati'ca'llystart the pumps when thefressu-re I in the discharge pipes E and F the-said: pumpsE and F falls below the pressuresrat which the governors-E' and F are set.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 12, 1907; Seria1 No.-397,099.-

Palteutd Jan. 12, 1909.'

aclosed casingal) connected at:its bottom byapipefi with the pressureitank A, so-cthat the-water rises: and falls simultaneously: in' the tank :AandthecasingD'L In'thecasing D" isarranged afloat H risingand falliin' with the water'in the :casing. 2D, and thessai float Hisconnected bydtsdeverH with the valve stem: 1, terminating: at its enids in valves I-.- and I2, of which the-valve- I is normally seated in theiseatl of a valvecasing J opening. into the casing D and connected with the discharge'pipe E of the water pump E. .The other valve- 1 isnormallyopen, buti's adapted to: close a valve seat K in a valve casing K attached to the casing D at the outsi e connected with the discharge pipe F of the air'pump F, and being connected bya pipe E with the upper portion of the pressure tank A, to supply=the-latter and the casing D" with air under pressure.

The discharge pipe E is provided witha valve E and the said-discharge pipe E is connected at a point between the pump E and the said valveE by a branch pipe E with the pressure tank A, and in the said branch pipe E is-arranged a valve E normallyclosedwhile the valve E is normally open. Vvhen it is desired 'to initially fill the pressure tankA with Water; the valvexE is closed and the valve E opened. and the pump E-started, soth'at'the latter pumps the water directly into the pressure tank- A,,

to fillthe same to the desired. height'indicated by the water gage-L shown in Figl-l. hen the'tankA is filled th'e water un Eis stoppedand' the valve E is c ose while theuvalve- E isopened. When the pressure tank A is filled with water to the pressure governor 1 Now'wh'en the water thereof, the said valve-casing being F auto-- The controlling device D is providedzwith;

in the pressure tank A leaks out of the same for whatever cause, and the water level consequentlly falls in the said tank A and in the casing then the float H moves downward, and in doing so shifts the valve stem I of the double valve 1', I in an upward direction, to move the valve I into a closed position on its seat K, and to move the valve 1 off its seat J. When this takes place the connection between the air pump F and the pressure tank A is more or less shut off while the water pump E is connected with the casing D, and as the pressure on the pressure overnor E has decreased, it is evident t at the water pump E starts and pumps water into the casing D, thus refilling the same and the pressure tank A, owing to the pipe G connecting the casing D with the pressure tank A. The water in the tank A is replenished, and when the water has reached the desired level in both the tank A and the casing D then the float H has risen sufficiently to again shift the double valve 1, P, to move the former to its seat J and the valve I off its seat K. Thus the water pump E is again disconnected from the casing D and comes to a stop while the air pump F is again connected with the pressure tank A, to supply the latter with the desired air pressure. Fromthe foregoing it will be seen that whenever there is any leakage however small, in the pressure tank A, the water pump E is automatically started to supply the deficiency of water in the tank A, and durin this time the air pressure is shut oil from 0th the pressure tank A and the easing D, to allow of refilling the same to the desired level.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the pressure tank A is at all times charged with the proper amount of water, subjected to air pressure, so that the sprinkler system is kept in a high state of efliciency.

Although the improvement is more particularly shown and described for use with pressure tanks employed in sprinkler systems, it is evident that. it may be used on pressure tanks utilized for other purposes.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An automatic refilling apparatus for pressure tanks, comprising a pressure tank, a water pump for filling the pressure tank, an air pump independent of the said water pump for maintaining air pressure on the water in the said tank, and a controlling device governed by the rise and fall of the water in the said pressure tank and controlling thesaid air pump and the said water pump.

2. An automatic refilling apparatus for pressure tanks, comprising a pressure tank,

an air pump having a pressure governor, a water pump having a pressure governor, and a controlling device connected with the said pressure tank, and having avalve mechanism controlled by the rise and fall of the water in the said pressure tank, the said valve mechanism governing anormally open connection between the air pressure side of the said pressure tank and the air pump, and

a normally closed connection between the water pump and the controlling device, to automatically open the water pump connection and to close the air pump connection when the level of the water falls in the pressure tank.

3. An automatic refilling apparatus for pressure tanks, comprising a pressure tank, an air pump having a pressure governor, a Water pum having a pressure governor, a connection between the water pump and the pressure tank, a controlling device set opposite the said pressure tank and having a valve mechanism and a casing, a connection between the casing and the ressure tank for the water to rise and fall simultaneously in both the pressure tank and the casing, and a connection between the casing and the water ump, the said valve mechanism having a oat rising and fallin with the water in the said casing, and a vafire controlled by the float and controlling the said connection between the air pump and the pressure tank and the said connection between the said casing and the water pump.

4. An automatic refilling apparatus for pressure tanks, provided with a controlling device for automatically controlling the water supply and the air supply for the said pressure tank, the said controlling device having a casing connected with the pressure tank for the water to rise and fall simultaneously in both the pressure tank and the casing, a float in the casing and rising and falling with the water therein, and a double valve controlled by the said float and controlling the air pressure connection and the water supply connection to the said pressure tank.

5. An automatic refilling apparatus for pressure tanks, comprising a pressure tank, an air pump having a pressure governor, a water pump having a pressure governor, a connection between the water pump and the pressure tank, a controlling device set oppo site the said pressure tank and having a valve mechanism and a casing, a connection between the casing and the ressure tank for the water to rise and fall simultaneously in both the pressure tank and the casing, a connection between the casingand the water pump, the said valve mechanism having a float rising and falling with the water in the said casing and a valve controlled by the float and controlling the said connection between the air pump and the pressure tank names to this specification in the presence and the said connection between the said. of two subscribing witnesses.

casin and the water pump, and a valved THOMAS P. FORD.

branc connection leading from the said THOMAS B. FORD. 5 connection between the water pump and the Witnesses:

, casing to the pressure tank. Trmo. Gr. HosTER,

In testimony whereof we have signed our i JOHN P. DAVIS. 

